Out of Stock

Description

If you have a few Xterra races under your belt, you know how difficult it is to find proper gear. Luckily, Northwave has extended its innovative spirit to your world. With the Tribute Terrae Shoes, you finally get the pairing of a race-day cross country shoe and a triathlon shoe. So, your transitions will be faster than ever, and your feet will still be equipped for the trail.

Northwave's Tribute Terrae features its Speedlight 3D Carbon outsole. This outsole has a construction that balances weight with rigidity. To achieve this, Northwave begins with a nylon chassis and then fills it with a fiberglass and carbon composite. And after that, it's co-injected to a thermoplastic polyurethane shell. Overall, the combination of the materials guarantees rigidity, while allowing a dynamic flex in targeted areas. This way, your feet won't feel berated when you're forced to walk a trail section or shoulder the bike. Additionally, the chassis creates a comfortable interface with the uppers, allowing a small amount of spill-over for when either your feet swell or you experience strong torsional forces on the ground.

You'll also find that the chassis works in harmony with the shoes' rubber studs. Basically, the studs have been minimally placed in order to reduce weight. However, this wouldn't be possible if dirt and mud were able to buildup on the outsole. So, Northwave engineered a center channel design that, with the assistance of the key positioning of the studs, sheds mud away for an ideal grip with the soil.

Moving up the shoe, Northwave made the uppers from a durable, yet breathable, microfiber material. This creates a conforming upper that doesn't skimp on protection from trail hazards. And for extra ventilation, Northwave also included Airmesh inserts throughout the upper. The location of the inserts follows what Northwave call its Airflow System where the lower vents channel in air to exit at the rear, while the side vents supply a constant source of fresh air over the foot. For retention, the Tribute uses a lower hook-and-loop strap and a burrito strap. Now, the burrito strap is a feature that's responsible for the opening that runs over nearly the entire top of the shoe. The burrito analogy is drawn from the Tribute's upper construction where one layer of the upper wraps over the other. This allows you to really dial in the volume of the shoe, whether it be for training or on-the-fly during a race. For your T1 transitions, the two-strap closure system is a breeze. The large top strap opens away from the drivetrain to allow a quick and seamless securing of the shoe. As for the bottom strap, you'll find that this is used less for transitions, and more left alone once you've established your desired volume and fit. However, the gripper tabs placed on the strap simplify any adjustments that you might need to make from the saddle. To really speed up T1, Northwave has also included a durable pull-tab at the heel.

At the heel, you'll find Northwaves Omega Heel design. This is part of the Airflow System concept, but its rigid construction also provides protection and an increased power transfer. In fact, the Omega heel has been molded as to shape your heel. So, on hard upstrokes out of the saddle, your heel won't slip, and accordingly, your pedal stroke's efficiency is maximized.

The Northwave Tribute Terrae Shoes are available in whole and half sizes from 37.0 to 47.0 and in the color White/black.

Tech Specs

Upper Material:

[uppers] microfiber

Closure:

hook-and-loop straps

Sole:

Speedlight 3D

Cleat Compatibility:

2-hole MTB

Footbed:

Performance Pro

Recommended Use:

xterra

Manufacturer Warranty:

1 year

Size chart

Northwave

Northwave bike shoes are sold in EU sizing. Find your EU size with this chart, keeping in mind US conversion is approximate.

Here's what others have to say...

View

Strap opens wrong way!

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

These could be great XTERRA shoes except they've made the large velcro strap close toward the bike. This means that the strap can rub the crank arm as you pedal which peels back the velcro. I really wish the strap opened the other way or that they either made the strap shorter so it does not wrap around to the inside of your foot or could be cut to a shorter length. Currently I'm constantly reaching down to push down the end of the strap that has peeled back and is flapping on my cranks.